Eisenkot Gets 28 Days to Build New Israeli Government
President Herzog appointed the former army chief as the coalition architect after the October 27 election left both major blocs short of a majority.
By Sakura Ellis ·
Gadi Eisenkot has 28 days to assemble a governing coalition in Israel, with a possible two-week extension available if he fails to reach a deal immediately. President Isaac Herzog granted Eisenkot the mandate late Saturday following days of consultations with parties elected to the Knesset on October 27. The decision places the former army chief in the driver's seat as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main rival attempts to end the incumbent's tenure.
Neither Eisenkot nor Netanyahu secured the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-member assembly. Netanyahu's coalition dropped from a peak of 68 seats to 53 in the election. The opposition bloc led by Eisenkot won 48 seats, while Arab-led parties captured the remaining 19. Herzog determined that Eisenkot had the best chance of forming a government because Arab-led parties indicated a willingness to support him, a calculation that Netanyahu views as a direct challenge to his continued rule.
Eisenkot faces difficult choices in his negotiations. He could pursue a power-sharing agreement with Netanyahu, which the incumbent requested on Saturday night. Alternatively, he can seek support from the two Arab-led parties, a move that splits his own coalition partners. One conservative partner, Yisrael Beytenu, has already stated it will not join a coalition that includes Arab-led parties. Eisenkot has set conditions for any such alliance, including recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and declaring Hamas a terrorist organization.
A third path involves the ultra-Orthodox parties, who demand military exemptions for their community. Eisenkot campaigned on the principle of equal military service, making this a contentious negotiation. United Torah Judaism, a key ultra-Orthodox party, has left the door open to cooperation, anticipating its status as a swing vote. The exemptions have grown controversial among the public during the past three years of war in Gaza and across the Middle East.
Netanyahu continues to press claims that the election was stolen by Arab parties, who rallied their supporters to vote in large numbers. He has offered little evidence for these assertions. The Central Elections Commission and President Herzog have declared the vote valid, noting that even if wrongdoing is found, it did not significantly impact the result. Shin Bet, the security agency, has launched an investigation into possible foreign interference in the vote.
Eisenkot will receive his formal mandate in a ceremony on Sunday. The new members of the Knesset will be sworn in on Tuesday evening. Netanyahu and his Cabinet will remain in office in a caretaker capacity with limited powers until a new government is formed. If Eisenkot cannot build a coalition, Netanyahu will receive a chance to form one. If he also fails, the country will return to the polls early next spring.
